Only a Year
by Plastraa
Summary: Short oneshot fiction YuzuKusa Yuzu is heading back to university for one final year of school. What is Kusa's reaction?


Disclaimer: I don't own X or any of its characters, if I did Seishirou and Subaru would be happily planning their wedding instead of that whole Rainbow Bridge nonsense. 

A/N I haven't written any X fiction before, but this couple don't seem to have much out there about them. This one came to me last night in bed and I had to get it written out before I was allowed to sleep. 

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Yuzuriha breathed in deeply, letting the air out in a long sigh. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, everything was so familiar and lovely. Oh how she was going to miss this. Why did school vacation always pass so quickly? A whine at her feet drew her attention to Inuki who was looking up at her, his mouth open in a canine smile. She sighed again and reached down to pet him. Tomorrow she would be back in a place where no one would be able to see her beloved Inuki. She would be back in a place where she felt alone and different. A place she didn't belong. It wasn't like here. This was home!

She looked over at her best friend, he was placing her suitcases into the back of the taxi that would take her to the airport. She couldn't help but laugh at seeing him, his face was twisted into a grim smile and she knew him well enough to know that he was just as upset about her leaving as she was. She knew him well enough to know he would miss her, and was just putting on a brave face for her. She knew him well enough to know everything about him, save one thing. The most important thing. She didn't know if Kusanagi loved her as much as she loved him. 

He had been in her life for seven years now. He had been there for her through all her trials of growing up, for her good times and her bad. He had been there for her when she had cried over losing the first Inuki. He had been there through the fight for the end of the world, and after it. He had been there with supporting arms when she had had her first failed crush on a boy in high school. He had been there when she had been accepted to the American University as a special transfer student. Now that the 'end of the world' had been averted, it was he who had encouraged her to go and accept that honor. 

In every pivotal moment in her life he was the constant. Kusanagi was the one thing that always stayed the same, her touchstone. The person by whom she measured everyone else. 

He put the last case in the car and slammed the trunk closed. 

"That's the last one." He walked toward her, and she saw the pain in his eyes.

"Well Kusanagi-san, I guess its time for me to leave." She said, grinning up at him like that 14 year old girl of so long ago. He returned her smile at the use of the honorific 'san' something she hadn't used in a very long time. 

Kusanagi pulled her close and placed his arms around her in a hug, his large frame so tightly wrapped around her she felt safe and comforted. She never wanted to leave that warm embrace. 

After what seemed like hours, yet far too short a time, Kusanagi reluctantly loosened his arms and held her away from him. His eyes searched her face, but for what? She didn't know. She wondered once again how he felt about her? She remembered long ago when they had first met and he had treated her as one would a younger sister, taking her for ice cream, or listening to her worries. She had been too young for him then. Next she had imagined it was because they were fighting on opposing sides. What about now? She was 21 years old, but still he had never betrayed anything but friendship for her. It would be best for her to forget her love for him. She would do nothing to jeopardize the friendship they had, even if it meant stifling the love that ripped her heart from her chest each time she left him. 

In moments Kusanagi was leading her to the car and settling her into the back seat. He moved away and allowed Inuki to climb into the car and nestle himself at Yuzariha's feet. They both watched the spirit dog and smiled at his utter contentment, his tail thumping the floorboard in a satisfied fashion. 

Yuzuriha's gaze shifted back to Kusanagi as he crouched down by the open door to talk to her. She sighed once more and moved to buckle the safety belt. 

"Don't be upset Yuzu." He put one finger under her chin to raise her face to his.

Knowing that this would be that last time in a year that she would be back home, the tears filled her eyes. Kusanagi moved his thumb to capture the salty drops as they made their way down her cheeks. 

"I don't want to leave." She implored and sobs rippled through her body.

"Shh...it's ok, its just one more year. Then you will be home." He put his arms around her and cradled her close to his chest again, his fingers tangling in her hair and his breath becoming ragged. 

"Yes, just one more year." She tried to say, but a year seemed like such a long time to be away from home, away from Him. 

"Shh...shhh...its ok. Don't cry love. Shhh." He pulled away and looked into her moisture filled eyes. 

"Yuzuriha!" He groaned her name and put his lips to hers frantically. The kiss was so unexpected that the air rushed out of her in a whoosh! She felt as if she were floating, her body left far behind. She didn't even notice putting her arms around his neck nor that her hands had tangled themselves in his hair. 

When he pulled his lips from hers to place small kisses along her jaw, on her closed eyelids, and finally making his way back to her waiting lips, she could do nothing but sob and smile, and sob again. Her mind was reeling. 

Kusanagi finally gained control of himself and pulled away a fraction. 

"I have waited so long for you, I can wait a year more." He stated firmly. "I promise to write and call." He smiled at her still stunned look. 

"Yuzu, it will be ok." He pulled away and stood up in one motion. 

The door to the taxi was closing and Yuzuriha hadn't moved or said a word. 

"I love you Yuzu!" Was the last thing she heard before the car pulled away. 

Those words woke her as nothing else could. She unbuckled her seatbelt, twisted in her seat and looked out the back window. There stood Kusanagi his face a grim mask, one hand raised in farewell.

Yuzuriha started waving and smiling, Kusanagi's face lit up. 

She threw him a kiss, and they both kept waving until the taxi turned the corner and the distance made it impossible to see each other anymore. Twisting back in her seat Yuzuriha, rubbed the tears from her cheeks and refastened her seatbelt. 

Inuki panted and thumped his tail in happiness, she ran her fingers through his soft fur and smiled to herself. 

I love you too Kusanagi, and its only a year. 


End file.
